SBS World News Radio

More than four years into the war, fighting between Russia and Ukraine is reaching new heights.

Pill testing is set to be rolled out at a range of music festivals in New South Wales this summer. But there are now questions about how the rest of Australia will handle the issue - and whether it goes too far or not far enough.

Australia's economy grew 0.4 per cent in the June quarter, but Westpac senior economist Ryan Wells explains why weak productivity and inflationary labour costs could still bring another interest rate rise. Plus, Perpetual Head of Investment Strategy Matt Sherwood breaks down the Australian sharemarket's 1 per cent fall as rising oil prices reignited global inflation concerns.

At the Pacific Islands Forum, the government announced a $600 million dollar package to fight fight trans-national drug trafficking in the Pacific. Political correspondent Naveen Razik speaks to leading crime expert from Honiara - Virginia Comolli about the situation on the ground and how it's caused in part by the huge market for illicit substances in Australia

As bird flu takes hold across Australia, experts are warning of widespread mortality in native species, based on how the virus has ripped through environments overseas. The disease rarely infects humans, but it could drive a rise in eco-anxiety, especially among communities that are closely connected with nature.

The United States and Iran are talking about diplomacy, while exchanging increasingly severe threats and attacks. Washington says its latest strikes are retaliation, Tehran says its response is not over, and countries across the Gulf are trying to stop the confrontation escalating further. But as the diplomatic language continues, so too does the human cost.

Was it just a matter of time before circumstances caused the flooding disaster in Nepal? Alton Byers is a mountain geographer and a faculty research scientist at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He specializes in applied research, high altitude ecosystems, glacier hazards, and implementation of integrated conservation and development programs in the Himalayas, Andes, and East African Highlands. He's told the Associated Press that climate change is affecting the structure of mountain geology around the world.

Australia's property downturn is gathering pace just as the busy spring selling season begins. Cotality Head of Research Tim Lawless explains what falling prices mean for buyers and sellers, while VanEck's Jamie Hannah unpacks the Australian sharemarket's subdued session, rising oil prices and higher bond yields.

New research has revealed that the thylacine, or the Tassie tiger was unlike any living mammal today. SBS reporter Yasmine Alwakal speaks to Vera Weisbecker, a professor of Evolutionary Biology at Flinders University who says the story of the Thylacine offers a warning about the risks of contemporary extinction.

After promising "consequences" for Taiwan's presence at the Pacific Islands Forum, China is denying comments by a senior diplomat are a threat - and that it has engaged in foreign interference. Taiwan's expanded role at the forum has enraged Beijing and there are concerns the rivalry will overshadow potential progress on regional issues, particularly climate action.

Rescue and recovery efforts continue in Nepal, where one teacher is being praised for a snap decision that saved hundreds of students' lives. As the death toll and list of missing people in the flood devastated region grows, the search for survivors becomes increasingly desperate.

Are we alone in the universe? It's one of humanity's most pressing questions. NASA now believes it's a step closer to answering that very question with the launch of a new telescope that it says could unlock some of the universe's biggest mysteries.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Piers Bolger from Infinity Asset Management about the day's market action including how investors reacted to Kevin Warsh's speech at Jackson Hole as he offers his earnings season report card.

Knockoffs aren't anything new in the fashion industry, but experts say the rise of online shopping has made it easier to find duplicated designs. Business owners and fashion law experts are calling for better education to ensure smaller designers can protect their creative work before it hits the runway.

Which disease has an annual death rate that is two thirds of the nation's road toll - and is getting worse? The same condition has numerous, hugely famous patients and patrons at home and around the world - yet we don't know why most cases occur. Now, research into Motor Neurone Disease has identified clusters around Australia - pushing one state to make a world first move.

More than 800 people have been killed, and over 3000 missing in Nepal after devastating floods swept the region last week. With 43 Australians still unaccounted for, experts say the threat of further flooding makes rescue efforts trickier.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is among the leaders attending the Pacific Islands Forum meeting Leaders Meeting in Palau.

Teachers are frequently being targeted by misogyny, sexism and gendered violence at school, according to new research from Monash University. Most of those surveyed said so-called 'manosphere' content is influencing student attitudes and behaviour. A warning - some listeners may find this story disturbing.

Across Australia it's not uncommon to hear debate over whether what you're ordering at the fish and chip shop is a potato cake or a potato scallop, or whether you're putting on bathers or togs for a swim. Australian English is as diverse as the country itself. SBS Reporter Yasmine Alwakal spoke to senior researcher at Australian National Dictionary Centre Mark Gwynn about why they are calling on Australians to help record the unique regionalisms we hear everyday.

Australia Post CEO Paul Graham says "we are in the fight of our lives" as it navigates structural change as letter volumes collapse and fierce parcel competition squeezes margins. SBS On the Money looks at what the transformation means for Australians, including the prospect of a $2 stamp, with Paul Graham, while Zoran Kresovic from Blueberry Markets explains why Nvidia's results helped propel tech stocks and the Australian sharemarket higher.

Following a late night conscience vote, the Northern Territory became the last jurisdiction to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia. SBS reporter Angelica Waite spoke with Ben White, a professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation at the Queensland University of Technology to discuss what the NT's Laws mean, and how they differ to other states and territories.

2024 saw the highest number of drug-induced deaths on record in Australia with more than 2,500 lives lost that year. Australia's Annual Overdose Report reveals older Australians accounted for almost half of these reported deaths. Experts say support and resources need to be urgently directed toward treatment and harm reduction.

Ratko Mladić, the Bosnian Serb commander responsible for Srebrenica massacre has died in prison at the age of 84. Mladić, nicknamed the 'Butcher of Bosnia', spent years in hiding before a UN-established court found him guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Economists at three of Australia's big four banks have changed their mind and reinstated thier forecasts of an RBA rate rise this year as stubborn inflation fuels expectations of higher borrowing costs. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with S&P Global Ratings Director of Structured Finance Erin Kitson about what another increase could mean for mortgage holders, while Robert Talevski from Activam breaks down a one per cent fall on the Australian sharemarket and the latest company earnings.

The trade war between the US and Canada kicks off, with shots fired in both directions. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent talks up sanctions D-Day for Iran and Syria's al-Sharaa says the country is “tearing out a painful chapter of its past” after the US lifts sanctions. Also, Borneo goes up in flames with palm oil adding fuel to the fires and threatening orangutans. Plus, a weightlifting robot's jittering jerk...

A meeting of federal, state and territory leaders left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese conceding on a renewables mandate for data centres. Also on the agenda: a national response to a domestic violence risk framework, gun reforms and an extra $125 million for the ongoing response to bird flu. do."

At least 160 people have been killed, and hundreds including tourists and 34 Australians are missing, following the deadly flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border. Local authorities say more than 150 bodies have been recovered. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says those missing are part of separate pilgrimage and tour groups. As the search continues, questions are being raised about what triggered the flood, and the risks of a new flood.

The Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has held its final day of hearings. Over 62 days and nine hearing blocks, the inquiry has heard from 340 witnesses and received more than 20,000 submissions. The commission will now turn to drafting its final report and recommendations, due to be handed down in December.

From the page to the playground, annual Book Week celebrations have long brought Australian children's stories to life. Now, as national recreational reading rates decline experts and authors say engaging young people with literature is more important than ever.

SBS reporter Alexandra Jones sits down with former Prime Minister John Howard looking back at his government's approach to boat arrivals on the anniversary of the Tampa affair. It's the incident at sea in 2001 that changed Australia's policy toward asylum seekers. In this wide-ranging interview they also discuss the global security environment and migration.

Country music legend, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80. A prolific songwriter and renowned philanthropist, she's being remembered not just for her music but her charitable endeavours, including her Imagination Library. In a career spanning decades she had 10 Grammy wins from 55 nominations, the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history.She died peacefully in Nashville, at the age of 80, after a short battle with cancer.

There are grave concerns for Australia's seal and sea lion populations after a second suspected case of H-5 bird flu was detected in a mammal along the South Australian coast. With vaccine rollouts underway for bird populations, officials say they're still searching for an available vaccine for mammals.

The UK and France are taking a major step in their support of Ukraine, sharing classified technical information with Kyiv, to help it develop its own long-range missiles. The move comes as 50 countries and the European Union sign a joint statement, calling on Russia to end the war. But, will this international support go any way to finally ending the conflict?

Australians are losing hundreds of millions of dollars to scammers, with swindlers increasingly using artificial intelligence to hoodwink their victims. This Scams Awareness Week, experts in the field are sharing precautionary measures people can take to protect themselves.

Ukraine is marking its 35th Independence Day anniversary, as the European Union commits to further increase pressure on Russia to end its war. So what does independence mean to Ukrainians in a years-long battle with no end in sight?

Sixty years on from the Wave Hill walk-off in the Northern Territory, photographer Mervyn Bishop remembers the moments that took place before he captured this iconic photograph of Vincent Lingiari and Gough Whitlam. He spoke with NITV News journalist Phoebe McIlwraith

Almost 200 First World War servicemen have finally been added to one of Australia's earliest war memorials, more than a century after their names were left off. The 196 men from Sydney's Balmain area are now permanently commemorated at Loyalty Square, following years of research to identify them.

Usually associated with American culture, the sport of rodeo has a long history in the Australian outback. Each year, thousands gather in Mount Isa, Queensland, for the southern hemisphere's largest rodeo event. SBS reporter Sydney Lang journeys into the 2026 event which included more women's, First Nations and junior competitions.

Sixty years ago, workers at the Wave Hill cattle station in the Northern Territory took a stand against discrimination and poor working conditions and walked off the job in protest. A defining moment for Australia's Indigenous land rights, the Wave Hill walk off lead the way for the Aboriginal Land Rights Act of1976 and its significance is still celebrated today.

In an SBS exclusive, the Liberal Party's Foreign affairs spokesperson Ted O'Brien tells political reporter Naveen Razik about his visit to North Korea in 2010. The pair also discuss O'Brien's latest engagements with multicultural communities, the rise of One Nation and the investigation into the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza. Here's Naveen Razik and Ted O'Brien.

A new priority process that could see some Australian citizens wait longer for their partners to receive a visa has drawn criticism. The backlog for visa applications has been growing as the Labor government faces pressure to curb its net overseas migration. Many migrants are waiting for more detail on the Governments migration reforms, with fears it could make the process more difficult.

Australians are being urged to prepare for a potentially challenging spring, with an elevated bushfire risk forecast across several parts of the country. Authorities say conditions vary significantly from region to region, with dry weather, warmer temperatures and increased fuel loads contributing to the risk.

Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom's family say they are "deeply disappointed" by Israel's decision not to pursue criminal proceedings over the military strike that killed her in 2024. Ms Frankcom's family is calling on the Federal Government to continue its push for criminal accountability over her death. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Israel should consider an independent investigation into Frankcom's death saying there's a need for a much more transparent response from Israel.

The United States is preparing a major new campaign of economic pressure against Iran, with President Donald Trump threatening consequences for countries and companies that continue doing business with Tehran. Almost six months into the war, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted and oil prices are rising, but as Washington increases pressure from their end, Gulf nations are stepping up diplomatic efforts in a bid to to restore normality and navigation.

National Science Week is celebrating science and innovation across Australia, with more than 2,000 events taking place around the country - it's Australia's annual celebration of science and technology. Alongside the discoveries, some events are also shining a light on the people behind them - from LGBTQIA+ scientists and computer pioneers to First Nations, migrant and female inventors. Advocates say diversity has helped shape science for generations and will be just as important to its future.

Donald Trump is scaling back planned military drills with South Korea which send a “hostile” message to Pyongyang. Is he looking to rekindle his bromance with the North Korean leader? Meanwhile, elections kick off in Israel as settlers continue to surround Palestinian homes in the West Bank. Iran and the US are no closer to reaching a peace deal, and now Trump is threatening his ally Oman. Plus, we look at the terrible animated movie that's captivating Chinese audiences with its low-budget charms.

In Europe, the Loire, Po, Rhine and Danube rivers have all reached record-low levels in recent weeks, after prolonged hot and dry conditions. While the low water levels are prompting fascinating discoveries for historians as previously submerged artifacts are exposed, scientists say the shrinking rivers are a troubling sign of a deepening global water crisis. And it's not just the northern hemisphere that is impacted- Australian rivers are shrinking, too, and experts say there are dire consequences.

A coalition of 27 organisations are calling on the New South Wales government to urgently establish a stand-alone labour hire licensing scheme. SBS's Haylena Krishnamoorthy speaks to New South Wales Anti-slavery Commissioner, Dr James Cockayne about the proposed scheme that would help protect workers — especially migrant workers — from exploitation, and stop dodgy operators entering the state's labour market.

Hundreds of thousands of people will lose support from the NDIS after changes aimed at limiting growth in the scheme passed the Senate with Coalition support overnight. The changes were opposed by the Greens, some cross-bench MPs, and disability advocates who say the process was rushed, and will cause harm. A key assessment tool underwriting the changes is still being developed, as states and territories prepare to take on greater responsibility for providing support.

A landmark trial in the United States is putting the relationship between children and social media under renewed scrutiny. Twenty-nine US states are taking on Meta, alleging the technology giant designed features on Facebook and Instagram to keep young users engaged, despite risks to their well-being. Meta strongly rejects allegations its platforms were designed to addict or harm children and says it has spent years developing safeguards for younger users. But beyond the legal arguments are families who say their children paid the ultimate price.

For the first time, copper profits outstripped its decades-long earnings bedrock of iron ore. Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant joined Rena Sarumpaet, to discuss copper, plans for South Australia's Olympic Dam expansion, Chinese demand, union disputes in the Pilbara and decarbonisation. And Stephanie Youssef speaks to Raaz Bhuyan of WaveStone Capital, about the day in the markets.